What Is Tikkun, And Why Does It Matter?

A few months back I read a news story about the mayor of New York and his former political opponent coming together to perform a comedy skit. Sounds civilized, doesn't it? Sadly, what should have been a collaborative gesture spurred outrage. How dare the two work together!

You don't have to follow politics to witness the "us or them" hostility permeating current discourse. You can see it on the news, on Social Media, in parts of our education system, and even in some spiritual institutions. And let's not forget family dinners!

A World In Disrepair

According to Kabbalistic teachings, in the beginning there was nothing but infinite bright light. It was so bright that even the creator himself could not look upon it without causing it to shatter. When it did, the shards of light fell to earth, no longer whole.

The goal of humanity is to re-unite those shards of light. To make the world whole again. The name given to the task of repairing the world is "Tikkun."

Every soul comes into this world with a specific job related to making the world whole again. The way you help to repair the world is inherent in your Soul Purpose. The work is not meant to stand in the way of your personal mission. In fact, it depends on it.

You Are The Hope

What was that famous line from the speech given by Abraham Lincoln when he was running for president? "A house divided against itself, cannot stand."

It's far too easy to fixate on all that's going wrong in the world. Too easy to stay angry at the systemic dysfunction, and become exhausted by the toxic outpourings seeping in to consciousness at every turn.

It's much more difficult to foster compassion and look for ways to get past the conflict. But if we don't, we risk a world without trust, without peace, and without solutions to every day problems.

What can we as individuals do?

Stay focused on your personal mission. The more you work on yourself, the easier it becomes to recognize your specific contribution to the greater good.

No action is too small. You are not here to single handedly save the world. This is not about achievement, pressure, or transcendence—it’s about learning to embody spirit in the every day dealings of human life. To become the best version of you, sharing your gifts, and staying in your heart.

This is how we repair the world.